Firing mechanism for signal pistols



Dec. Z3, 1947. J. w. VAN KARNER 2,43 ,309

FIRING MECHANISM FOR SIGNAL PISTOLS Filed March 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 21 JOSEPH W. VAN KARNER Dec. 23, 1947. J. w. VAN KARNER FIRING MECHANISM F03 SIGNAL PISTOLS 2 Sheets-Shem; 2

Filed March 23, 1944 OSEPH W VAN KflRNER Way! Patented Dec. 23, 1947 FIRING MECHANISM FOR SIGNAL PISTOLS Joseph W. Van Karner, New York, N. Y.

Application March 23, 1944, Serial No. 527,808

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a pistol particularly adapted for firing or detonating signal cartridges, smoke cartridges, gas-containing cartridges, and the like.

It is the object of the invention to provide a pistol of the above type containing a relatively few parts and in which the release of the trigger is brought about by the operator squeezing the pistol grip with his entire hand, rather than by moving the usual type of trigger with the forefinger of the hand holding the pistol. Accordingly, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a pistol having a trigger bar extending along one side, preferably the forward side of the pistol grip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pistol of the above type having a base plate back of the barrel or cartridge-receiving cylinder provided with a central opening through which a firing pin attached to a hammer is projected to fire or detonate a cartridge, and to provide means for moving the hammer back, after a cartridge is fired, a distance sufficient to prevent the firing pin from projecting through the base plate. Thus, after the pistol is fired the firing pin is withdrawn so that it will not interfere with the opening or breaking of the pistol, and cannot be damaged when the pistol is in open position.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings but it is to be understood that such further illustration and description is by way of exemplification and that the invention is not limited thereto.

In the drawings Fig. l is a side elevation of a signal pistol embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is the plan view,

Fig, 3 is a view of the pistol in broken, or open position, i

Fig. 4 is a. sectional view of the pistol shown in Fig. 1 with a portion of the barrel or cartridgereceiving cylinder broken away, and with the hammer in the position which it assumes after a cartridge has been fired and before it again has been cocked,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4, with parts broken away, but showing the hammer in cocked position, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings it will be noted that the pistol comprises a body portion I having a hand grip 2 extending from the rear part thereof and a barrel or cartridge-receiving cylinder 3 pivoted at 4 to the forward part thereof. The body portion is hollow, and while it may be made of any suitable material, preferably is made of some non-corrosive metal, such as bronze, or the like.

The body portion includes a base plate 5 opposite the rear end of the barrel which has an opening 6 in the center thereof. having a firing pin 8 projecting from the forward part thereof is pivoted within the body portion by means of a hammer pin 9 extending therethrough. The body portion I has a hammer slot I I in the upper part thereof in which the hammer moves when being cooked or when moved from cooked to firing position,

The upper end of the hammer is provided with a serrated or knurled extension I2 which ma be gripped by ones thumb to move the hammer to cocked position. The lower end of the hammer is provided with projections I2 and I3 forming shoulders on its periphery below the pivot pin 9.

A sear member I4 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a scar pin I5 extending through the upper portion of the hand grip. A toe-piece It of the sear member is adapted to engage behind the shoulder I3 to retain the hammer in cocked posi tion as shown, in Fig. 5. The opposite end of the sear member has a rounded projection I! which is adapted to be engaged by a portion I8 of a trigger bar I9 pivoted adjacent the distal end of the hand grip by means of a pivot pin 20. The trigger bar extends throughout the length of the hand grip and is provided on the forward side thereof which extends through a slot 2| in the forward side of the hand grip with curved indentations 22 to receive the fingers of the hand of one holding the pistol. A projection 23 on the upper end of the trigger prevents the trigger from being projected forward; out of the slot in the hand grip.

A relatively strong leaf spring 24 of generally hair pin shape is retained within the hand grip by a pin 25 extending through the loop thereof. One end of the spring bears against a rounded projection 25 on the sear member between the sear pin I5 and the rounded projection I! and normally tends to swing the toe-piece I6 in a clockwise direction against the periphery of the lower shoulder portion of the hammer 8, and to cause the trigger bar I9 to be projected forward with the extension 23 contacting the body portion at the upper end of the slot 2 I. The other end of the spring is received within a generally V-shaped notch 26' in the lower portion of the hammer. The upper side of the spring exerts its force in an upward direction on the hammer and tends to swing it in a counter-clockwise direction, that is toward firing position. However, when the hammer is moved to cocked position the force exerted A hammer I by the other end of the spring on the sear member l4 causes the toe-piece I6 to engage behind the shoulder l3 and hold the hammer in cocked position until the trigger bar I!) is squeezed to disengage the toe-piece, whereupon, the hammer is swung forward by the spring to fire a cartridge in the barrel 3.

The upper portion of the hammer 1 has a bore 26 which receives a spring-pressed pin 21 retained within the @b'oreby a cross pin 28. When the pistol is fired by squeezing the trigger bar 3 to release the toe-piece I6 of the sear member from behind the shoulder l3 the hammer moves forward and the firing pin 8 thereof is projected,

through the central opening 16 in the base plate 5 a distance suflicient to engage and detonate the cap of a cartridge within the barrel. The hammer is moved forward by the spring 24 with sufficient force to cause the plunger 2:! to be pushed back in the bore 26 against the resistance of spring 29 to enable the firing pin to engage the cap -of the cartridge within the cylinder. However, after the initial :impact of the firing pin against the detonating -cap of the cartridge -the force-of the spring 29 against the rear of the plunger 27 causes the hammer to be moved back a distance vsuiiiicient to eausethe firing pin to lie Wholly within the opening '6, as shown in Fig. 4, so thatthe firing-pin willnot interfere with the breaking'or opening of the pistol, and will not project through the :base plate when the pistol is open, where it might becomedamaged.

The squeezing of the trigger =bar I 9 to fire the pistol causes the sear member 14 to swing about the sear :pin 1 5 a distancesufiicientto cause the toe-piece Hi to be disengaged from behind the shoulder l2 andto move out-of the path thereof as the hammer moves forward-to fire a, cartridge. However, subsequent release of the trigger bar permits the lower leaf of the spring 24'to swing the sear member in a 'clockwisetdirection and .to bring the toe-piece f6 behind the shoulder 12 so that the hammer :is prevented :from turning in an anti-clockwise .direction such as would cause the firing pin 58 :to extend through the openingB, until after the'hammer again hasbeen cooked and fired.

As will be noted from Figs. 4 and'fithe lower portion of the 'barrel is provided with a thick downward extension through which the pivot .pin 4 passes. The thickened extensioniext'ends back to the rear :end f .thecylinder and .has :a bore 29' extending inwardly from its inne'r :or rear end to receive a plunger 30 .of :a shell ejector, the head 31 rof which has a projection .32 adapted to lie beneath the flange of a cartridge-in the barrel ".3. A spring'33'zin "-the bore :291behifid the plunger 30 tends to move ithe-'ej'ector rearwardly in the bore 'so that when'thepistol is opened or broken :the forceof rthe-spring :33 will cause the ejector to :move re'arwardly in Jthe-bore and eject a cartridge from the "barrel :3. .A set screw 34 extends through the extension from the lower side and into Pa groove 35 :in .theiplunger 3fl to limit the'movement'of the ejector when a shell is being ejected from the "barrel. A second plunger 36 extending into a bore 31 above "the bore 29' maintains the ejector-in proper position at all-times and assists in guiding it in itsmovement.

A barrel latch '38 is" pivoted betw'een upstanding lugs 39 a t the-inner or-rear end of'thebarrel 3. The latch is generally T-shaped, as shown in Fig-:2. The stem of the latch is adapted to be received-in a -recess= 4 l in an upward extension of the base plate 5 while the projecting portions at each side of the stem are adapted to lie behind the upward extension of the base plate to maintain the barrel 3 in closed position. A leaf spring 42 bears against a rear extension 43 of the latch 38 and exerts its force to swing the latch member in a clockwise direction to maintain it in latching position. However, the extensions of the latch member may be gripped between ones thumb and forefinger and the latch lifted against the force exerted b the spring to permit the pistol to be opened, or broken, as shown in Fig. 3.

While the present invention has been described with particular reference to a signal or similar pistol it will be understood that the various features thereof are not necessarily limited to pistols of that type but may be used in connection grip extending from the rear part of the body portion, a hammerpivoted within the body portion, said hammer having a shoulder on its periphery, a trigger bar pivoted at one end of the handle, said trigger -bar extendingalong "one side of the hand grip and movable :in a slot therein, a sear member pivoted intermediate its length within the hand grip and extending generally parallel to-the trigger bar, the sear member having a toe-piece at one end engageable with said shoulder on the hammer to hold the hammer in cockedposition, theiother end Y of the :sear 1116mber being so positioned with respect to the trigger bar that inward movement of the trigger bar causes it to engage said other end of thesear member and rotate the sear member about .its pivotal pointlto disengage the toe-piece-fromben hind said shoulder on the hammer, anda leaf spring mounted within the hand grip, one end of the leaf spring exerting a force ,on the sear member in a directionto rotate it about its pivotal point in a direction to bring the toe-piece thereof into engagement with the shouldered'periphery of the hammer and to move saidyother end-toward the trigger bar, the other end of the leaf spring exerting a force on the hammer tending to move it tofiring position.

2. A pistol comprising aa-body p'ortion,'arhand grip extending from the rear part ofthe body portion, a hammer pivoted withinthe body portion, said hammer having a shoulder :upon its periphery, :a trigger .b'ar :movable ins-a slotincthe forward side of the hand grip, :asear member pivoted: intermediate :its .length within the hand grip and extending generally .parallelztothetrigger bar, the sear member having a toe piece at one side of itsipivotalipoint engageable --with;.said shoulder on the hammer to hold the hammer .in cocked position, "the-sear memberat the other side ofthe pivotalipointibeingeso positioned with respect to the'triggen bar that inward -movement of the :triggerbar causes fit to engage Zthe -sear member and to :rotate it about its pivotal :point to disengage the toe-piece from behind said'shoulder con the hammer, spring means within the hand grip exertinga :force on Jithersear .member in a direction to rotate it about itspivo-tal point in a direction-to bring thetoe-piece thereof iinto engagement vwith' the shouldered periphery-ofthe hammer and :to move thesear member :at the other side of the pivotal-point toward the trigger bar, and springlmeans within the hand grip exerting a force on the hammer tending to'moveflit to firing position.

3. A pistol comprising a body portion, the body portion including a base plate having an opening therein, a hand grip extending from the rear part of the body portion, a pivoted hammer having a firing pin to be projected through the opening in the base plate to fire a cartridge in the barrel, means for moving the hammer back, after a cartridge in the barrel has been fired, a distance such that the firing pin does not project through the opening in the base plate, the hammer having a pair of shoulders on the periphery thereof, a sear member pivoted intermediate its length within the hand grip and extending in the same general direction as the hand grip, said sear member having a toe-piece at one end arranged to engage behind one of said shoulders on the hammer to hold it in cocked position, and to engage behind the pther of said shoulders to hold the firing pin from projecting through the opening in the base plate after the hammer has been moved back after a cartridge has been fired, spring means within the hand grip arranged toexert a force on the sear member to rotate it in a direction to bring the toe-piece thereof into engagement with the shouldered periphery of the hammer and to exert a force against the hammer in a direction to move it to firing position, and a trig er bar mounted for movement in a slot in the forward side of the hand grip and so positioned with respect to the sear member that, when the hammer is in cocked position, inward movement thereof causes it to engage the other end of the sear member and rotate the sear member in a direction to disengage the toe-piece thereof from engagement behind said one of said shoulders and permit the hammer to be moved to firing position.

4. A pistol comprising a body portion, a hand grip extending from the body portion and having a slot in the forward side thereof, a pivoted hammer movable into and out of firing position, a sear member pivoted within the hand grip and intermediate its length, the hammer having a shoulder to be engaged by one end of the sear member to hold the hammer in cocked position, a trigger bar mounted in the slot in the hand grip and extending substantially the entire length of the front side of the hand grip, said trigger bar being pivoted adjacent one end to the hand grip and normally bearing against the other end of the sear member so that inward movement of the trigger bar moves the sear member to cause release of the hammer, a spring Within the hand grip exerting its effective force against the sear member in a direction to cause it to move the trigger bar forwardly and out of said slot, and means carried by the trigger bar for preventing it from moving completely out of the hand grip.

JOSEPH W. VAN KARNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 786,796 Cobb Apr. 11, 1905 100,227 White Feb. 22, 1370 1,226,473 Diehm May 15, 1917 891,748 Tambour June 23, 1908 720,775 Beckwith Feb. 17, 1903 196,589 Barrow May 2, 1893 898,717 Bowker Sept. 15, 1908 855,227 Bull May 28, 1907 2,351,263 Jackson June 13, 1944 695,242 Snyder Mar. 11, 1902 1,070,145 Lewi Aug. 12, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 326,260 France Nov. 21, 1902 

